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Obesity New therapy can greatly reduce the number of obese people
The number of obese people in Germany could be reduced by two million with the help of a new care concept within ten years, reports the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit. Hospital costs could also be reduced by more than a billion euros in the long term.
Obesity is increasing worldwide
More and more people worldwide are suffering from overweight and obesity. In 2014 alone, around seven million people in Germany were on therapy for obesity. But how should one cope with the increasing number of severely overweight people? The health insurance DAK health demands in the supply of people with obesity now a rethinking.
Around 16 million people in Germany are obese. The health insurance DAK health now calls for an improved treatment and treatment offer for obesity. (Picture: Picture-Factory / fotolia.com) Heavy obesity endangers your health
Strong overweight makes you sick. Obesity is a risk factor for many civilization diseases. Particularly noteworthy here are diseases of the vessels and the cardiovascular system such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease or arteriosclerosis (arteriosclerosis). Obesity also increases the risk of arthritis, diabetes and cancers. According to health experts, even a minimal weight reduction would have a clear positive effect.
Improved therapy and treatment offer
Not all experts agree on how best to achieve this. DAK Health is now demanding an improved treatment and treatment program for obesity. "A new future-oriented care concept nationwide could reduce the number of obese people within ten years by more than two million people affected," writes the health insurance in a statement.
In addition, hospital costs could be reduced by more than a billion euros in the long term. This emerges from the new DAK supply report obesity, which the IGES Institute has created for the health insurance.
16 million Germans are obese
According to the information, around 16 million people in Germany are obese. One in four adults between the ages of 18 and 79 is therefore obese - and the number is rising.
"We have to rethink the issue of obesity and make the health system fit for the future," said Herbert Rebscher, CEO of DAK Health. "Instead of waiting for miracle pills or miraculous diets, the existing, especially conservative measures should be integrated into the state-of-the-art statutory health care system and consistently offered to those affected. Isolated solutions of individual health insurance companies are not enough. "
According to the DAK report, there is a clear underuse and misuse in the treatment of extreme overweight in Germany. So far there is no legally regulated supply path that obese people can use.
Two million less adipose
According to an extrapolation ten years after the transition, a future-oriented care concept would make two million people less obese than under present-day care. After 20 years, the number of those affected would decrease by another million. The number of obesity-related deaths could also be significantly reduced in the long term.
At the heart of the new care concept of the DAK is the earliest possible approach to those affected and an optimization of nutritional therapy. For all patients with a BMI of more than 30, a first examination by a nutritionally qualified physician is planned. This could then accompany the improved nutritional therapy.
In addition to the initial medical consultation, three follow-up appointments - one per quarter - as well as six appointments with a nutritionist are part of the concept. Contents include individual nutritional recommendations and specific target agreements.
Extremely positive results
"This approach under medical supervision does not exist so far in our standard care," says Rebscher. "Studies show, however, that it can lead to extremely positive results if you start early and stay on the ball."
The concept also provides for the possibility of surgical treatment for those who are severely overweight and have a BMI of at least 40 years. At DAK alone, the number of obese people's stomach surgeries has tripled over the past ten years.
Financial consequences of the concept
The DAK health also shows the financial consequences of the concept. According to the IGES calculations in the age group 20- to 69-year-olds alone, a cost reduction of 1.2 billion euros is to be expected in the area of hospital treatment alone.
"The optimized care of people with obesity means that fewer and fewer people become obese over the years," said Prof. Matthias Blüher, Head of Obesity Outpatient Clinic for Adults at Leipzig University Medical Center. "A higher quality of life and significant savings in the system through fewer treatment costs for comorbidities would be the result." (Ad)